The home-building industry finds a place for CSR

CSR has been debated for years, but it is only now gathering steam to be the indicator society expects corporate business to commit itself to.

For a corporation to succeed, it has to be well-received and well-liked, not resisted, by the community. It is a principle in which “a company is growing hand in hand with the community as a family” and this will effectively mean a good prospect for success of the business in that community.

To begin, a company has to incorporate CSR as its key policy and convince its staff to see the importance of CSR so they understand and are willing, not coerced, to participate in the company’s CSR activities. To make CSR activities successful and sustainable, all staff from top executives to junior staff have to realise their importance. Otherwise sometimes they can interrupt a staff’s routine work, its energy and spirit.

Practical advice for CSR activities is to go for those activities related to the company’s business. They’re easier for employees to take on, given the availability of products and knowhow already acquired. Moreover, this approach will be well-understood by the community and help it to relate more easily to the company’s services and products.

For home builders, CSR activities can include erecting homes for the less-fortunate – something one could do with a philanthropy – building community schools, community recreation parks or joining the Association of Home Builders’ education fund for students in the colleges’ faculty of construction.

CSR for SEACON HOME has started with the company’s work process – from its design to enhance the use of natural energy, such as airflow and light exposure to save energy, to using substitute materials to reduce wood-cutting.

Seacon Construction System (SCS) is a form of CSR. It is a semi pre-fabricated construction system which saves time and reduces on-site emission of environmental hazards such as dust and noise. Several materials have been pre-fabricated and assembled at the factories before being transported on site.

On a practical note, there is limitation to what CSR activities home-builders can do to make the community it services feel good. Home building service does not necessarily have a direct stake in the community, for once the construction is complete, the service moves on. Therefore, for home builders, CSR for the community has to take a different form.

SEACON HOME’s 50th Anniversary: Return 50 Good Deeds to Thai Society is a case in point. The project, around for four years, is being implemented either in cooperation with 50 charitable groups to offer cash donations or food to communities, or taking part in those groups’ activities with participation of the company’s executives and staff.

CSR is determined to return goods to society without any expectation won back in terms of profits. For good and successful CSR activity itself will automatically bring the company a good image and revenue. It is in fact a bonus to the company. 

SEACON HOME is committed to continue with good CSR.